What to take

Make sure you:

Leave plenty of time to pack, and take as little as possible otherwise you'll end up dumping stuff or sending parcels home. Plus you can buy things whilst you're on the road. It's often much cheaper than at home anyway.

Take a backpack with you rather than a suitcase and take a daypack to use for hand luggage whilst travelling. The top loading rucksacks are very comfortable to carry but it's easier to access your clothes in a front loader, but it's really just a matter of personal preference.

Footwear needs careful consideration. Flip-flops are invaluable for slipping on and off when visiting temples, and wearing in showers. Lightweight trainers are also vital - along with a pair of flat, smarter shoes or sandals. Hiking boots are useful if you're thinking of doing any trekking.

A basic first-aid kit is important. Items you could include are painkillers, bandages, TCP, travelsick pills, mosquito repellent, emergency diarrhoea remedies and sterile syringes. If you're travelling where tap water is not safe to drink, take purification tablets or a water element. You can buy medical kits online and other travel gear.

Pack the perfect rucksack

On a gap year or a round-the-world trip your rucksack will be your most valued possession.  Here we show you how to pack the perfect rucksack to help your trip run smoothly:

• Buy the best rucksack you can afford.
  During the weeks or months of your trip your rucksack is going to have to see you through the rough and the smooth and take a battering en route. Make sure you set off with a rucksack that is as sturdy as possible.  It is worth getting ‘fitted’ for your rucksack in a specialist outdoor shop.
  
  
• Sort out what you really need
  It is essential to remember that you are going to have to carry your rucksack throughout your trip and that while on your trip you will probably pick up things to bring home, so only take what you really need.  One top tip is to put everything out you think you really need and then try to reduce it by half before you pack.
  
  
• Have a system
  Try and always put things in a certain order in your rucksack, so that it is easy to find things and you can tell immediately if you’ve forgotten to pack things.  Try and pack things in small plastic bags, not only to keep your things waterproof, but also to keeps things together so you have fewer things to pack and unpack.  Try and buy a rucksack that zips at both ends for easier access to your belongings.
  
  
• Ease the strain
  Pack heavy things in the middle of your rucksack, as close to your back as possible.  This will put less strain on your back when you carry your rucksack.  Roll up your clothes rather than folding, this should give you more room and also, hopefully, make them less creased when you want to wear them.
  
  
• Small but useful
  Take some things which may not seem useful now but almost certainly will when you’re in the middle of the trip.  Essentials which don’t take up much room but could make your life a lot easier include a small sewing kit, a cup, bowl and spoon and a small medical kit.  A silk sheet sleeping bag is also a useful addition to your rucksack, it will keep your sleeping bag clean and can be easily washed and quickly dried.
  
  
• Ensure you’re insured
  Sometimes however hard you try things can go wrong.  Make sure you are insured so that you can replace those essential items in case they get lost or stolen when you are away.